


Finals Frenzy and Christmas Cheer

by TooBusyWriting



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Music, Christmas Party, Christmas Presents, F/M, Female Reader, Finals, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Gen, High School, Humor, I'm not quite ready for it to be reality, Midtown High School, Mistletoe, School, Stress Relief, and the new trailer, basically all things Christmas, call your dentist you're gonna get cavities, just cuz I'm in denial and while I may be excited for Endgame, so we're just gonna forget about Infinity War and all that jazz, this is literally the cutest thing I've ever written
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-18 07:54:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16991028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooBusyWriting/pseuds/TooBusyWriting
Summary: Finals are coming up with the end of the semester. As per every year, stress levels are through the roof. Luckily, your good friend Peter agrees when you ask (trick) him to help you. The major problem, though, is that it just doesn't feel like Christmas despite it being less than a month away. You ramble about this to Peter, assuming he's not listening.With the aid of your sister, Astrid, Peter finds how to lift your spirits after all. Plus a little more.





	Finals Frenzy and Christmas Cheer

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: Messy ramble of thoughts below
> 
> Wow, I never thought I would write a one-shot that's so long. I hope you all enjoy it! Also, in advance, sorry if you do have a teacher named Mr. Brown that you do find interesting. Astrid is sneaky and I loved writing her. If -insert bug pun here- had an excess of smiles, this one has an excess of laughter. This started out as fluff without plot but then it grew its own plot and here we are. Warning: I've never been on a date let alone have a boyfriend so if some of it comes off as awkward that's why. I also have never been to NYC, so sorry for any possible inaccuracies. Thanks for reading! Merry Christmas!
> 
> (Y/F/S) stands for Your Favorite Scent

“Finals are upon us!”

 

The saying was spread far and wide across Midtown High School. It was finals week- or, as some would rather say, Doomsweek. The final stretch before break. Make it or break it. The most stressful week of the year. Insanity week. Torture. The end of us all. Final frenzy. You get the picture.

 

The same could be said about you. You were drowning in classwork. Final papers, presentations, and projects before an influx of study study study for all the tests. If one wasn’t carefully planning things out, it got overwhelming and fast.

 

Inside of school, it was all anyone could focus on. Outside of school, it seemed society didn’t know finals existed. The holidays were approaching and the atmosphere reflected it- though not the actual weather yet. Everywhere, Christmas carols were being played. Ads for all kinds of gifts showed on TV. People dressed in red and green, bundled up for the cold that NYC presented starting fall, as per usual. Christmas cheer was spreading- and quickly, as the days past.

 

None of that translated into school. Instead of carols, classical music was being played to help focus, if there even was any playing. There was no time to watch TV unless you were procrastinating all your homework. Students dressed in sweats, coffee mugs not too far away, overcome with exhaustion. Finals fear was spreading, more like it.

 

Of course, there were a few kids who were in the Christmas spirit. The kind of kids that started listening to Christmas music at midnight on November First. The kind that wore ugly sweaters every day as soon as the weather permitted. The kind of kids that would celebrate Christmas year round.

 

You were not one of those kids. The stress was starting to get to you, and none of your due dates had even arrived yet. The pressure was too much. Instead of doing your homework, you devised a plan to get your friend, Peter, into sorting it out for you. He was top of the class- surely, he had no stress over finals.

 

Today, you planned on taking action during class. If you got it out at the right moment, he’d have no choice to say no before class started. Details could be talked about after school.

 

You walked into your shared class, scanning the room for him. Easily spotting him and Ned, you made your way over, plopping down in the seat next to him. “Hey, Peter. Hi Ned,” you greeted before joining in on their conversation.

 

A few minutes later and a swift glance at the clock told you it was time. In a lull of conversation, you interjected, “Peter, you’re going to help me with my finals after school today and the rest of finals week. At my house. Thanks.”

 

Peter opened his mouth to respond, but the teacher began to talk. “Good morning, class. Today we will be talking about-” It didn’t take long for Peter to close his mouth, frowning slightly, and shift his focus to the lesson. Mission accomplished.

 

* * *

 

It actually worked. You couldn’t believe it. After school- as you hadn’t had any other classes together- Peter cornered you at your locker. You exchanged a rundown of details and with a text to May, he agreed. You offered Ned the same invite over, but he declined, stating he had a project to work on with Betty.

 

Unfortunately for Peter, you didn’t stay focused for long. You were in your room with the door open- a habit formed because of your parents’ rule, even if neither of them was currently home. You sat in your swivel chair, switching between spinning yourself dizzy and rocking back and forth, books long forgotten. Peter sat on your bed, book splayed across his lap. His head tilted sideways as he watched you ramble.

 

“C’mon, (Y/N),” he pleaded once again. “I’m here to help but I can’t do that if we don’t actually study.”

 

Your ramble continued, completely ignoring his words. “-and now it doesn’t even feel like Christmas time anymore! You know, when we were little it felt like it snowed alllll of December. Now, it decides to snow once or twice in November, and then maybe, just mayybbbeee once on, like, Christmas Eve or something and not again until, like, mid-January with a snowstorm. It’s not fair! That’s part of what makes Christmas feel like Christmas!” You stopped, pointing a finger at him. “Ya feel me?”

 

He sighed. “Yes,” he responded, knowing if he tried again you’d continue to talk over him again.

 

“It doesn’t even feel like December is part of the problem. It feels like it’s supposed to be November. That month certainly went by too fast for my liking. One day, it was August, suddenly, it’s FINALS?!”

 

Out of nowhere, you whipped up straight, eyes wide. “Oh, finals! That’s why you’re here! I’m so sorry, Peter! Now, let’s get back to studying!” You grabbed your book and settled back on your bed next to him. It thankfully didn’t take too long for you to get back into the swing of things.

 

You were in the middle of studying for your history final when the front door slammed open. “(Y/N)! I’m home!” your little sister interrupted, breaking the atmosphere.

 

Great. So she was home from school. She was young enough that she was in middle school but that didn’t stop her from being nosey. “Where are you?” She popped her head into your room. “Ooo, you have a boy over! I can’t wait to tell Mom!”

 

You gave her a hard look. “Dude, seriously? Anyway, this is Peter and he’s my _friend_ and he’s here to help me study for finals.” You turned towards Peter. “Pete, this is my sister, Astrid. She’s a pain but we love her anyways.” She pouted, bottom lip sticking out.

 

He laughed at your words. “Hello, Astrid. Nice to meet you.” He stuck his hand out, which she hesitantly shook. She scanned both Peter and the room, then nodded.

 

Astrid left the room, calling out “No making out! I don’t wanna see it!” as she left. Immediately, you could feel your face heating up. Peter’s face turned bright red as well.

 

You adjust the collar of your shirt. “Alright… we can go study in the living room if that makes you more comfortable?” It came out a question even though that wasn’t your intent. “Plus, we can keep an eye on her, then…” With Peter’s nod, you gathered your stuff and promptly switched rooms.

 

* * *

 

Unlike Astrid’s claims, no make-outs ever happened and never will happen between you and Peter. He was your friend. You didn’t think about him like that. Nope. Not at all. You never ever ever ever ever wondered what it would be like to cuddle with him, to run your hands through his hair, to be the focal point of his thoughts….. Nope. Never happened. Never will.

 

~~Okay so maybe you were lying to yourself a bit .~~

 

But it’s not like you had time to do that, even if you wanted to. It was the last day of finals- the last day of the first semester. Only a few more tests and you’d be free. All that hard work would’ve paid off. After the- incident- with Astrid, you and Peter either met up at his house (May was the best, honestly) or at the library. Peter’s help was working you wonders. So far, finals had passed by easier than in years past.

 

Before you could go off to class the sight of Peter waving in your direction caught your eye. When you caught his eye, he beckoned you over. “Hey!” he greeted cheerfully.

 

“Hey,” you responded back. “I’m so ready for this day to be over already. I’m home-bound.”

 

He laughed. “Uh, actually, I was wondering if you wanted to come over to my house? Ned and I are gonna watch a few movies in celebration.” He rubbed the back of his neck a bit, avoiding eye contact for some odd reason.

 

“Sure! Sounds great!” You pulled out your phone to give your parents a heads up.

 

“Great!” He wrapped one arm around you, pulling you in for a short one-sided hug as best he could around your backpack. “You’re the best!” He hesitated, then kissed you on the cheek. With that, he was gone, lost to the sea of exhausted students.

 

Your cheek tingled as you stood there, thrown off guard. Had that happened? Your mom’s reply had distracted you, leaving you underprepared for what Peter just did. Well then. You scanned the crowd, trying to see if you could catch sight of Peter, to no avail. With a shrug, you headed off to class. You could ponder this more between tests later.

 

* * *

 

True to your word and his, you and Peter met up at your locker after school. After gathering your things, you took the subway. You were making good time- that is until Peter insisted on entering Delmar’s for his daily sandwich.

 

Peter was greeted with a “Hey there, Mr. Parker,” when he entered. “Is that your girlfriend? The girl you talk so much about?”

 

Immediately, Peter’s ears went red, as well as some of his cheeks. “Uh- excuse me? N-no. (Y/N) and I- we’re- we’re not dating. We’re just friends. Just friends, Mr. Delmar.” He took a small step away from you in an attempt to create space between you.

 

Mr. Delmar gave Peter a look that to Peter spoke volumes. To you, it said nothing. “Okay, well, Number Five for you, right? Anything for the lady?” Peter nodded and looked at you expectantly.

 

“Oh, no, I don’t need anything. You see, I have the last lunch of the day and so I didn’t eat too long ago. I’m fine,” you shrugged off.

 

“C’mon, (Y/N). You’re always hungry. And don’t worry about money. It’s on me,” Peter said. Delmar gave him what looked like an “I-told-you-so” face. He was in for a round of questioning later.

 

Knowing Peter wasn’t going to give up, you looked at the menu. “Okay, fine. I’ll have the….Number Seven, I guess.” Delmar got to work promptly, and soon enough, the two sandwiches sat on the counter. Peter paid, and you left with many thanks.

 

You walked for a bit, side by side, playing with the foil on your sandwich. “Uh, thanks, Pete. But can I ask what that was all about?”

 

Peter glanced sideways at you before looking forward, avoiding a haphazard cyclist. “What was what about?”

 

You gave him a stern look. “You know what I mean, dork.” You continued to tread next to him, almost running into him when he took an unexpected turn. This wasn’t the way to his house. Where was he going?

 

Peter gulped. “It’s about nothing. I mentioned you once or twice and he assumed things. He likes May, so don’t put it past him to do that.” He stopped and faced you once you started tugging on his coat.  “I, uh, was thinking we could go eat at a nearby park before heading over to the apartment?” He sounded uneasy like he wasn’t sure he had you convinced.

 

“Peter Parker, are you stalling?”

 

“Uh- maybe?”

 

“And why would that be?” It didn’t matter how long you’d been friends- Peter would always give in to your stern questioning. If he was being honest, he’d admit he was afraid of you to some degree.

 

“Well, you see- Wait, no, that won’t work. I- no, Ned and I- Nope, uh-”

 

“Peter cut the rambling.” You smiled despite yourself.

 

He continued anyway. “Peter-” you cut him off. “Is Ned going to be late?”

 

Thankful, he nodded. “Yeah, and I didn’t want to get home before he finished what he’s doing.”

 

“Then why didn’t you just say so? Nerds, the both of you.” You shook your head, exasperated. A voice in the back of your head told you he was being suspicious but you ignored it. Peter did odd things all the time around you. It was normal by now.

 

Peter grinned sheepishly, then continued on his way. He led you to an empty park due to the lack of snow or heat. The benches seemed to be in fair condition, making for a nice spot for a conversation.

 

The conversation flowed as smooth as a river. Granted, being friends for so long helped with that. You talked about finals and how you thought you fared. Even though you only had one class together it didn’t mean you didn’t have the same teachers throughout the day. Peter suggested a few more activities you could do throughout break as well. You asked him about his Stark Internship and how that was going to work over the holidays. He briefly mentioned something about Mr. Stark doing something large scale and something small scale within a few days of each other that he’d have to go to but that was it.

 

The sandwiches were soon consumed, the foil balled up and shot into the nearby trash can. Laughter rang through the air from the two of you. There couldn’t be a better solution to the stress finals had given you than this.

 

Time passed quickly, and before you realized, it was 4:30. Neither teen noticed until Peter’s phone started yodeling. In the middle of an overexaggerated storytelling, Peter jumped and scrambled through his coat pockets, trying to remember where he had put it.

 

“Hey, Ned. Uh-huh. Yep. Yeah, gotcha. We’ll head on over now. Thanks. Sorry for getting distracted. Yep. You too. See ya. Bye.” Peter hung up and turned towards you. “Ned’s done with what he was doing and is at the apartment now. Said May let him in. You ready to go?”

 

“Yep. Let’s go, Parker. Race you there!”

 

Eight minutes later, you stood in the elevator, out of breath and defeated. Okay, so challenging Peter wasn’t your best idea but it was far from the worst. “Cheater,” you grumbled, arms crossed across your chest.

 

Peter only let out a small chuckle. “I didn’t cheat, you’re just a sore loser. If anything, you’re the cheater; I’m not the one who threw their hat in the other person’s face.”

 

Your frown deepened. “You suck.”

 

He laughed more. Goodness, what a sound that was. “Just you wait, (N/N).” Now, what on earth was that supposed to mean? Either he was being overconfident in your binge-watching tonight or something else was going on.

 

The elevator dinged, the doors opening. A quick trip down the hall led you to the Parkers’ apartment. You expected to open the door to Ned on the couch, May grabbing snacks in the kitchen, and the home menu of a movie on the TV. Instead, you got a shock.

 

A foot not even in the house yet and you were blown away. You convinced yourself you must’ve somehow opened the wrong door until Peter lightly nudged your back to let him enter. All you could do was stand there in awe.

 

There was a party. In the Parkers’ apartment. A Christmas party. At Peter’s house.

 

You blinked and rubbed your eyes. “Someone pinch me. There’s no way this is real.”

 

Christmas music softly streamed through the room. Cookies, pine, vanilla, and spices filtered through the air. Conversations provided a low rumble beneath the clinks and laughter. A Christmas tree stood proudly in the corner, presents spilling from underneath. Paper snowflakes hung from the ceiling; the whole room screamed holiday party.

 

Someone next to you chuckled. “I can assure you, this is real. I took the time to set it up myself.”

 

A gasp escaped you before you could stop it. A quick spin launched you into the arms of the one and only May Parker. “You did this?” you asked in awe. “Wow! Great job! I love it! It’s amazing. You really outdid yourself, May.”

 

“I know, right?” she said with a wink. “Snack’s are in the kitchen when you’re hungry. The teens have been waiting on you guys. They were about to start without you. Adults are in the dining room if you need us.” She left, entering said room and sitting down.

 

Peter caught your gaze and blushed. “I know you weren’t feeling the Christmas spirit, and May’s been looking for an excuse to host a party, so I decided to combine the two.”

 

Your smile widened. “Thank you, Peter. I love it. Is this why you stalled?”

 

“Yeah.” His eyes shone as if an idea popped into his head. “Does this mean I don’t suck anymore?”

 

You pretended to think over it. “I don’t know….” At his irresistible puppy dog eyes, you caved. “Yes.”

 

His face instantly lit up. “If that’s the case, then you don’t suck either. C’mon, we needa join the others.” He grabbed your hand and pulled you into the living room.

 

Many of your friends sat in various locations around the room. Ned and Betty shared the couch with MJ. A few of your other friends sat in the armchairs or on the floor. Right smack in the middle was your headache that comes and goes. Astrid.

 

She noticed your skeptical look upon seeing you enter the room. “Well, look who finally showed up! And holding hands!” You realized Peter’s hand still wrapped in yours even though there was no need anymore. Dropping it, your face heated up. “You’re late, sis.”

 

“Yeah, that’s Peter’s fault, Ash. Not mine.” Peter simply shrugged. Astrid continued to give instructions, and you soon found yourself seated next to Peter, leaning against the couch. The group was about to start a game when you had arrived, and they went through the trouble to make sure you knew how to play.

 

The Name Game. Object of the game: two teams go head to head to see who can name more people. One person goes at a time. They pull a slip, read the name, and describe the person to see if anyone can call out the correct name. Each turn is taken in three-minute intervals. It’s fast-paced, funny, and can last until the names run out.

 

Two teams had been made when you and Peter arrived. Peter, you, Michelle, and some other kids you didn’t know that well made up your team. The other team consisted of Ned, Betty, and some of your classmates, as well as Astrid.

 

Soon enough, the teams took off, neck and neck. Many rounds with laughter and terrible accents passed by. It was finally your turn to go. You stood up by the bowl on the coffee table. “Ready. Set. Go!”

 

You pulled a name few names and your team guessed successfully. Pulling out another, you looked and stifled a giggle. You knew what to do for this one. “It’s your favorite adult,” you said to Peter.

 

“May?” he guessed.

 

“Uh, no. That’s my fault for not assuming that’d be your answer. Your second favorite adult.”

 

Peter looked confused for a moment before it dawned on him. “Mr. Stark.”

 

“Yep!” At your interaction, the group laughed. You pulled another name. “Uh, so they speak monotone, they’re _the_ most boring person I know. I know at least two people failing their class-”

 

“Mr. Brown!” multiple people answered at once. School-wide, he was known for his boring classes. Couldn’t even catch a break outside school.

 

The timer went before you knew it. The game continued easy breezy. However, that was, until Peter got up. He started giving weird descriptions sometimes that pertained to inside jokes that threw everyone else off. But not you and Ned.

 

He drew a slip, his face concentrated and his eyebrows furrowed. “The guy who accidentally started the French Indian War.”

 

“George Washington,” you stated. Everyone gave you weird looks. “What? It’s not my fault Peter and I pay attention in history while you guys sleep.”

 

Peter shook his head, a small smile gracing his lips. Pulling another name, he shook his head again and ran his hand through his hair. “How do I describe this?” He paused, then continued. “Er, he wears a red and blue suit? Seen around Queens on the regular. Kinda cool, I guess?”

 

“Pfft, Spider-Man. Duh,” you answered as Ned asked, “Is it Spider-Man?”

 

Michelle shook her head at your trio. “You guys are crazy.”

 

“Can’t disagree there. Especially him,” you teased, pointing to Peter.

 

He put a hand on his chest, mock offended. “I can’t believe you’ve betrayed me like that.”

 

Astrid shrugged. “She’s my sister. It was bound to happen,” she offered, launching another round of laughter.

 

The game ended not too long after that. Other activities passed, dinner was served, a movie watched. At least that part served to be true from what Peter had told you that morning. May outdid herself on the food. She could cook, but you made sure to be wary with dessert. She surprised you with that being just as good- she must’ve had someone help her. May was known for her cooking and not her baking for a reason.

 

Astrid bugged you on and off all night. Anytime you would get remotely close to Peter, she popped up and did so. When you sat down next to him before the movie, she plopped herself on your lap and yelled, “Love me!” before throwing her arms around you. Granted, you did push her off but she switched sides to sit between you and him. She was adamant, but you had a tough time putting your finger on why.

 

People started to leave around 8:00 pm as the party wound down. Games put up, the majority of the food eaten, little kids falling asleep on parents, and the sky dark. Noise levels now lower, you found yourself enjoying the classical Christmas music that had come up on the playlist. Seated in a stray chair by the window, the music appeased your spirits and the landscape awed you.

 

A light sprinkling of snow started to fall. Flakes illuminated by the city and Christmas lights glowed green and red. Red and green streaked white covered everything. Moonlight shone down, making the snow sparkle. It was as if someone had waved a magic wand. The landscape transformed into a far-off kingdom from a fairytale and you were the princess, admiring it from her tower.

 

“Guess you got your Christmas wish.” Looking up, you saw Peter sit down to your right. Astrid was off somewhere, too busy to interrupt, hopefully. “And it’s before Christmas Eve, too.”

 

“Sorry, what?” Though you had an idea what he was talking about, it confused you.

 

“Your Christmas wish,” he repeated. “You know when you rambled about how it never feels like Christmas without snow in New York. It’s snowing. You got your wish.” He looked at you softly, scanning your face.

 

“I didn’t think you paid attention to my ramblings, Peter,” you commented. You looked back at him. His eyes stayed trained on you as you talked. “It was insignificant. Even I forgot I said it.”

 

He hummed quietly. “I always pay attention to your ramblings. I know you listen to mine all the time. It’s fair that way.”

 

It was hard to disagree with that. “My Christmas wish has been filled in more than one way today, Peter.”

 

“Really?” His eyebrows rose with his shock. The expression was beyond endearing. You couldn’t stop the smile from stretching across your face. “How?”

 

“Really. You did it, Pete.” He continued to make that adorable confused face. “By getting May to host a Christmas Party and dragging me along has helped it feel more like Christmas. Plus, the whole season-of-giving thing. You gave away your afternoon you could’ve used with Ned or May beforehand to make sure I was surprised and enjoyed it. Thank you.”

 

“It was nothing. Honest. I’d do that every day for you.”

 

Every day? Wow. You couldn’t deny it any longer- you had a crush on the boy in front of you. And if what he said was any consolation, your feelings weren’t one-sided. At some point during the conversation, some of your hair had fallen in front of your face. Gently, Peter reached over and pushed it behind your ear.

 

Your heartbeat grew louder. Was what was about to happen what you thought it was? Peter held your gaze, the atmosphere tense. You weren’t sure who started moving first, but soon you were inches from each other. Peter’s breath fanned across your face, feather light. He was so close. It was a lot to take it. You leaned in to close the gap when-

 

“Whatcha talking about?” Astrid announced louder than necessary. You jumped and leapt across your seat, landing on the other side of your chair. Heat radiated off your neck, ears, and face. Peter looked more like a tomato than a person in the following moments. Astrid grinned, successfully keeping the two of you apart once again that night.

 

“Why are you both blushing?” she asked all too innocently. She knew what she did.

 

“No reason,” you replied, breathless. “We were just talking about the weather.”

 

She scoffed. “You guys are so _boring._ Anyway, (Y/N), Mom said we’re going home in ten minutes and that you need to be ready and not cuddling with your boyfriend when we do.”

 

“He’s not my boyfriend,” you mumbled. She hadn’t said anything about any potential boyfriend being Peter, not that you’d notice your slip until late that night when sleep failed you. Instead, she quirked an eyebrow and made sure you got the message before leaving.

 

You stood, Peter following your example. Clearing your throat, you began, “I feel like I’ve said this a lot today, but thank you, Peter. It means a lot to me. I’ll text you later, yeah? We can make plans for the rest of break that way.” You tucked your hair behind your ears.

 

Peter, hands in his pockets, ducked his head. “Yeah, that works great. And it’s no problem.” He took his hands out of his pockets and reached over, wrapping you in a hug. Hugging him back, you savored the moment before pulling away. “Thanks for coming. Well, I guess technically you had no say in that, so thanks for staying and hanging out with me today. I’ll see you soon?”  


You nodded slowly. “See you soon!”

 

Your parents gave May their thanks and soon enough, you were home, dressed in pajamas and fighting over the sink with Astrid. Toothbrushes in mouths, you shoved each other back and forth until Astrid leaned over and spit into the sink.

 

“Ya know,” she said, toothbrush dangling out of her mouth. “Petah waasint gonna thow da pauty if I hawdn’t sauid anfytheng.”

 

You spit, taking your own toothbrush out of your mouth. “Peeta or Peter? And he did what? You should know by now not to talk with a toothbrush in your mouth.”

 

Astrid scowled and took her’s out. “Peter wasn’t going to throw the party if I hadn’t said anything,” she said anything. She rinsed off her brush, put it up, and left the room. Following her lead, you followed her into her room.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She sat on her bed; you sat at her desk.

 

“It means Peter came to me asking what he should get you for Christmas. He mentioned something about how he wanted to lift your spirits. I, being the wonderful sister that I am, suggested a Christmas party. Automatically he said May wanted an excuse for one, thus concluding that I am indeed the best sister to walk the Earth.” She gave you an overly cheesy grin, making you snicker at her boasting.

 

“Well then, thank you, Astrid.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. He was so desperate to cheer you up it was cute to the point of me fake gagging.” To prove her point, she did so again.

 

You stood up and walked over to her. “I mean it, Astrid. Brag all you want, but that really does make you a great sister.” Kissing her head, you couldn’t see her face but you knew she’d turned bashful at your words.

 

“Alright, now get outta my room, nerd.” Shoving you out the door, she tried to cover her glee at being complimented by her older sister. She closed the door in your face, leaving you standing there barely keeping it together.

 

“Goodnight, crazy,” you called through her door, chuckling.

 

A muffled groan sounded back before a resigned, “Goodnight to you too, dork.” Shaking your head, you headed off to bed for what ended up being a sleepless night. ~~Hey, it’s not your fault your brain wouldn’t stop playing the possibly-almost-kiss with Peter and Astrid’s subsequent interruption over and over again.~~

 

* * *

 

Before you knew it, Christmas Day arrived. More snow had fallen, coating the city like a cold blanket, trapping the holiday cheer in it. Christmas morning had been spectacular. After the normal Christmas morning traditions, you sorted through your new gifts, taking the time to admire and appreciate each one.

 

Your family knew you well, you had to hand it to them. The gifts all seemed perfect and you couldn’t believe you had gotten certain ones. Some of your friends had also given you gifts already, whether it be they were placed under the tree or opened before break.

 

One person who hadn’t was Peter. Texting after the party, you agreed to exchange gifts Christmas afternoon at his house. It would be just the two of you until Ned showed up later, having plans with his family that lasted longer.

 

At 2:00 pm, you found yourself on the doorstep of the Parkers’ apartment once more. May greeted you with a hug before disappearing. You approached Peter’s door and knocked. “You home, Parker? You promised.”

 

Thuds resounded from the room. “Yeah, wait a sec. I’ve got finish something.” Waiting patiently, you listened as Peter dropped something a few times, muttered under his breath, and finally opened the door.

 

His hair was disheveled like he had been running his hands through it frequently. The sleeves on his sweater were pushed up to his elbows, and his feet were covered in penguin spotted socks. He smiled goofily. “Fancy seeing you here on this fine holiday.” Leaning over in an attempt to look cool, he underestimated his distance and almost toppled to the floor.

 

Straightening himself, he tugged his sweater. “Never speak of this again,” he said, pointing an accusing finger at you.

 

“I don’t know,” you mused. “That’d be some pretty good blackmail. If only I’d caught it on camera.”

 

He moved out of the way to let you into the room but still shot you a dirty look over his shoulder. “You do that, I’m disowning you as my friend.”

 

“Not if I disown you first.” You took off your coat and threw it over the back of his desk chair. Proceeding to sit down in said chair and taking off your boots, you set Peter’s wrapped present on his desk, with Ned’s right beside it.

 

Peter shuffled around, then hid something behind his back and walked up to you. “Is it okay if I give you your present now instead of waiting for Ned to get here? He said he’s fine with it,” he said with a wave of his phone. He moved his hands to the front, displaying a box he must’ve wrapped when you waited outside his door.

 

“Uh, sure. Why not?” He placed the gift on your lap. It was a box with what looked like too many layers of blue and white wrapping paper and a sloppy golden bow on top. The sight made you smile. At least he tried. A small card was placed on top.

 

“Can you read the card last? I know that’s not how you usually open presents, but it makes more sense once you see what the present is,” Peter requested. He shifted nervously, toeing the carpet, hands behind his back.

 

Card now to the side, you unwove the bow quickly and carefully. A few tugs let the paper give way. Indeed, too many layers covered the box, but that didn’t stop you. The tape was harder to open, but it ultimately gave in. You gasped when you saw what was in your hands.

 

Peter had gotten you a candle that smelled like (Y/F/S) and a colorful periodic table blanket. The blanket related to you once jokingly saying “The periodic table is so big I could sleep on it with room to spare.” It has been a passing joke, but Peter remembered.

 

“No way! Thank you! You shouldn’t have! Especially the candle- they’re so hard to get this time of year!” Peter visibly relaxed and you exchanged easy smiles.

 

“Okay, now open the card.”

 

You picked up the card and opened it the best you could. On the front, the card read, “Oh Chemist Tree, Oh Chemist Tree.” It pictured a Christmas tree with beakers for ornaments. You giggled. “That’s cute.” You opened it to see Peter’s handwriting scrawled across the page.

 

The middle had the typical company provided message: “Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas” with each “Ho” being the chemical symbol for Holmium. Underneath, Peter wrote:

 

 

> _Are you copper and tellurium? Because you are CuTe._
> 
> _That was cheesy, I know. Please don’t kill me. And please take me seriously.. I’ve liked you as more than a friend for a while, and I’m horrible with words and you’re smart, funny, beautiful, and so much more. I guess what I’m trying to say is (look up now)_

 

You couldn’t believe your eyes. You lifted your head; Peter’s fidgeting had resumed. He smiled shyly but avoided your gaze for a moment. He took a deep breath, gathering courage. Finally, he looked at you. “Will you go out with me? As more than friends?”

 

Your cheeks hurt from how wide you smiled. “Of course, Peter.” Was this happening? It had to be a dream. No way was this real. You were going to wake up any second now.

 

Except you didn’t. It _was_ real. Peter must’ve been thinking the same thing. He let out a breath and grinned back, eyes squinting and shining. “So, uh, we’re still gonna hang out with Ned for the rest of the day, so maybe we could go tomorrow? If that’s okay with you,” he said.

 

“That works with me.” A pause, then, “What should I wear? Where are we going? And don’t say Delmar’s.”

 

He chuckled. “I promise we won’t go to Delmar’s. This time.” Shoving his hands in his pockets, he glanced at the ground before looking up again. “Wear something nice, I guess. I didn’t think I’d get this far…Uh, we can figure that out later. Unless you want to figure it out now. It’s up to you.”

 

“I’m fine with waiting. Ned should be here soon, anyway,” you responded. You rolled your shoulders, then set your gifts and card aside. “The only thing I’m not fine with is that my present for you seems lame now.”

 

Peter quirked an eyebrow at you. “I highly doubt that.” He leaned against his desk.

 

“Wanna bet?” you goaded.

 

“Sure. I win, you go on a date with me. You win, I go on a date with you.”

 

“Dork. Here you go. I’m about to prove you wrong.” You handed him the present and watched as he unwrapped it. So far, nothing had changed between you besides acknowledging you had feelings for each other, and you were grateful for that. No excessive awkwardness, no drastic change. Just taking it as it comes, one step at a time.

 

Peter unwrapped his gift with precision. “Ha, I win,” he said when he saw it.

 

In his hands, he held a pair of chemistry socks and a picture frame. Inside the frame was a simple picture of the two of you. May had taken it at Peter’s birthday party- it had been a gathering of a few of his friends, and she made sure she had pictures of him with everyone that showed up.  Sitting on the couch side by side, the group had been playing a trivia game. You and Peter weren’t paying much attention to it, choosing to joke around. May had noticed and caught the priceless moment. You were looking at each other, grinning, lost in your own little world.

 

You hadn’t known it existed. May kept it to herself, as Peter never asked to see the camera after the party. After mentioning to May what you wanted to do for Christmas, she gave you the picture and told you how wonderful of an idea it was. So here you were.

 

“I don’t see how that’s a win. It’s just a stupid pair of socks and a photo,” you said, doubting your choice now he had them.

 

“But they aren’t!” Peter insisted, clutching them to his chest. “I think they’re perfect. It shows you get me.”

 

You were about to argue back when out of nowhere-

 

THUD!

 

You raced to open the door, Peter not far behind, his presents left on his bed. Expecting May to be injured or something broken, you weren’t ready for the sight before your eyes.

 

Ned stood there, backpack on the ground and spilling open, presents in his hands. “Hi?” he asked, unsure of how to proceed. He was right outside the door, leaving the only place to go back into Peter’s room. You greeted him back.

 

Ned bent down to pick up the spilled contents of his book. He looked up and said, “By the way, you guys are standing underneath some mistletoe.”

 

“Ugh. Maaayyy,” you heard Peter whine. A quick glance up confirmed Ned’s observation.

 

“We don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to yet,” Peter whispered in your ear.

 

You thought it over. “Nah, I’m good with following through.” You leaned in, completing what went unfinished at the party in nearly the same exact spot. It was short and sweet but perfect.

 

Pulling away, you smiled at Peter and he reciprocated. Ned spoke, interrupting your moment. “About time. I’m gonna go ahead and assume your plan worked, Peter.”

 

Your jaw dropped. “You need to explain this.”

 

“No, I think _you_ need to explain to me just what happened. Presents can wait. Now move.” He pushed you and Peter into the room- backpack cleaned up- before settling on the bed.

 

Shaking your head, you sat down and complied. This Christmas turned out better than you had guessed the week before. The future was as bright as the snow outside. Presents, time with your friends and family, and a date on the horizon. And that was just the start of many to come.


End file.
